ON ST. NECTARIUS, BISHOP AND CONFESSOR,
AT AUTUN IN GAUL.
Third or fourth century, or sixth.
A COLLECTION.
Of his cultus and deeds.
Nectarius, bishop and confessor, at Autun in Gaul (St.)
BY J. S.
The Hieronymian and most other ancient martyrologies nearly all conspire in announcing the memory of St. Nectarius of Autun. St. Nectarius commemorated in the ancient martyrologies, Florentinius published from his codex: At Autun, the deposition of the blessed Nectarius, bishop. The Corbie agrees. The Epternach has: At Autun, of Nectarius the bishop, as the Reichenau among us also has. But the Augsburg, the Labbean, and the Gellone attribute Nectarius to Autun without the title of bishop, as is also done in the first Martyrology among those published in Martène, tom. 3 of the Anecdota. But in the Auxerre one, in the same author, tom. 6 of the Amplissima Collectio, the saint is thus commemorated: At Autun, of blessed Nectarius the bishop. The chief martyrologies composed in the eighth and ninth centuries have not mentioned Nectarius of Autun. In the supplements of Bede and Usuard, however, mention of St. Nectarius is made repeatedly, but with the name somewhat dislocated in certain of them, as may be seen in our Sollier, where sometimes Nectarius is rightly written, sometimes also Necarius and Neocarius. In the Martyrology of St. Sabinus of Levitania, published in Saussay, it is thus had: At Autun, the deposition of St. Nectarius the bishop.
[2] The more recent martyrologists, especially the French, also announce St. Nectarius. and celebrated with an oratorical eulogy in Saussay, Saussay with marvelous eloquence celebrates the saint's deeds in this manner: At Autun of the Aedui, of St. Nectarius, bishop and confessor, who, glorious in the titles of his virtues, from that chair which he ascended imparted comforts to the poor, remedies to the sick, instruction to the ignorant, and finally to all examples of every virtue and manifold helps of salvation; and holy Germanus, afterward bishop of Paris, dear to him for the clear marks of his religion, he appointed abbot of St. Symphorian's. Finally he was present at the fifth synod of Orléans, in which the heresies of Eutyches and Nestorius were condemned, and most holy laws were issued concerning the discipline of clergy and people and concerning sacred contemplations. At last, a notable propagator of religion, a diligent guardian of the flock committed to him, after the gains of his stewardship fulfilled, he flew away to the reward of the eternal country. Thus far Saussay, who seems to have believed that there is no need of ancient monuments for magnifying the virtues of a saint. St. Nectarius could indeed have shone with the virtues which he extols; but I should prefer to read them related in a simple style by an ancient writer than adorned with an orator's pen.
[3] He is announced by other moderns also. More sober is the eulogy woven for the saint by Castellanus and in the Paris Martyrology, in these words: At Autun, of St. Nectarius the bishop, who set blessed Germanus, afterward bishop of Paris, over the monastery of St. Symphorian of Autun as abbot. The saint's death is fixed by them about the year 555. From these things is clear the error
of Ferrari, who also commemorates the saint in the General Catalogue, and there observes that he was contemporary with St. Germanus, bishop of Auxerre, whereas the latter preceded him by a whole century. St. Nectarius is also briefly commemorated by the author of the manuscript Florarium Sanctorum and by Maurolycus; not, however, by Baronius in the Roman Martyrology. In the Breviary of Autun, which we have printed in the year 1534, I do not find St. Nectarius, nor in the Calendar which is prefixed to the Breviary. Nevertheless the authors of the reissued Gallia Christiana, tom. 4, col. 343, treating of St. Nectarius, assert his cultus at the present day in these words: The Aeduans celebrate his feast on the 13th day of September. Nor can there be any doubt of the sanctity of a certain Nectarius, bishop of Autun; but perhaps it is less certain that it is that very Nectarius who lived with St. Germanus of Paris who is celebrated in the ancient martyrologies. Before I allege my reasons for doubting, I shall set forth in few words the deeds of that Nectarius.
[4] From the Life of St. Germanus of Paris, which was published among us at the 28th of May, Nectarius, made bishop about 540, promoted St. Germanus, but the same man it is most probably gathered that Nectarius was set over the church of Autun after Agrippinus. For, as the author of the Life, Venantius Fortunatus, says at no. 2, St. Germanus is appointed deacon by blessed Agrippinus, and in the following third year is ordained priest; thereafter he is deservedly taken up by the pontiff Nectarius as worthy to be abbot at St. Symphorian's. This is the first deed of Nectarius which became known, and our Henschen in his notes, and with him the authors of the Gallia Christiana, fix it about the year 540, but only from a probable conjecture; for the time of that promotion is nowhere read expressed. Further, Nectarius is celebrated for the promotion of so holy a man as St. Germanus was. But more blamed is the deed which follows a little after in the Life of St. Germanus, expressed in these words: The bishop, inflamed by his (St. Germanus') good works, thrust the holy man — who as yet did not refuse these things, and whom even the demons proclaimed — into prison. For him, I confess, the dungeon was opened by a divine nod; but he did not go forth thence unless a suppliant and episcopal injunction were given.
[5] Mabillon indeed in the Acts of the Saints of the Benedictine Order, tom. 1, p. 234, in the notes says perhaps afterward thrust him into prison: that the words alleged are not read in the more ancient and more genuine parchments, and therefore he omitted them in the text of the Life published there. But Henschen judged that those words, found in all our codices and in Surius, should not be passed over; because we do not know whether the codices which Mabillon saw are older than ours. But if we consider the fact itself, we shall rather suspect that those words were omitted in some codices than that they were afterward thrust into even one. Hence I cannot doubt that that injury was inflicted on St. Germanus. But since the bishop's name is not expressed, nor the time of the deed assigned, it does not appear to me equally certain that it was done by Nectarius; for between Nectarius and St. Syagrius, set over the see of Autun about the year 560, two other bishops are commemorated in the Gallia Christiana. One or other of these was probably bishop before the episcopate of St. Germanus, begun about the year 555, and consequently could have inflicted such an injury on him. Therefore, even if we believe the fact true, it is not necessary that we should certainly believe Nectarius the author of that injury. Nevertheless it must be confessed that, from the manner of the account which Venantius has preserved, that deed can be attributed to none more probably than to Nectarius; nor is it incredible in Nectarius, since another like deed of his is presently to be reported. Besides, Venantius does not seem to have made so much of Nectarius as of his predecessor Agrippinus; for, writing of both in the same place, he honors Agrippinus with the title of Blessed, but names Nectarius pontiff without any other title, although he wrote long enough after the death of both.
[6] Certain other things concerning Nectarius of Autun are read in the Life of St. Emanus the martyr, he is said to have journeyed to Milan, and there to have seen St. Emanus, given among us at the 16th of May, and already often praised before in Le Cointe in the Annals of the Franks. First, Nectarius is said to have journeyed to Milan to St. Nazarius, while St. Emanus was also there, and to have returned to Autun with him as companion. This is said to have happened in the reign of Theudebert, and thence Le Cointe at the year 542, no. 29, believed that journey should be fixed about that time. Let us hear the praised Life: At that same time (at which St. Emanus was staying at Milan) the venerable Nectarius, bishop of the same city (it was treating of Autun) coming with the same vow to St. Nazarius' for the sake of prayer, found there Emanus the man of God. Then, when by addressing and questioning Emanus he had learned that he wished to go to Autun, blessed Nectarius added to him, saying: "I, though unworthy, am bishop of that place; but, if it is the hope of your will, let us go together, and I will be the companion of your journey." And so Emanus the man of God, being made the companion of the bishop's journey, came to the thresholds of St. Symphorian, as had been commanded him. This kindness of the bishop toward a holy man is certainly worthy of praise.
[7] whom he then commits to prison, and a little after honors: But no one will praise what is afterward narrated at no. 10; for there Nectarius is said to have handed over to prison Emanus, who had set out for Chartres and then returned to Autun for the feast of St. Symphorian, when he began to be made known by name through possessed persons. The Life has thus: And when this was known, Nectarius the bishop, kindled at once with anger and with the enemy's envy, ordered him to be shut up in a place where there was no light. Quickly, however, the bishop is said to have come to his mind, because the doors of the prison could not be so closed that they did not straightway stand open by divine power. For, as follows, then the venerable bishop, when it had been announced to him, giving thanks to God, began thenceforth to hold the holy man in great praise; and prostrate at his feet he besought pardon. Then, when he had come out, he began to urge upon him that he should receive the honor of clerkship; and presently, acquiescing in his counsel, having received his blessing, he had his head tonsured in the clerical honor. The deeds of Nectarius thus far related cannot avail greatly to commend his sanctity; nor do they suffice to deny it: for to slip from time to time is human, and many saints were not free from lapses, but washed them away by penance.
[8] He is present at the Fifth Council of Orléans: he dies between 550 and 560. I find no more concerning Nectarius, except that he was present at the Fifth Council of Orléans and subscribed to it thus: In the name of Christ, I Nectarius, bishop of the church of Autun, have subscribed. Since this council was held in the year 549, in the month of November, the death of Nectarius happened between the year 550 and 560, in which St. Syagrius is believed to have been set over the church of Autun; between whom and Nectarius two others, less known, are placed in the middle in the Gallia Christiana.
[9] St. Nectarius perhaps another than he whose deeds we have given. Now at last I subjoin the reasons by which I am led to believe that the Nectarius whom we have seen announced in the Hieronymian calendars is perhaps another. First, I have already observed that from his deeds the sanctity of him whose deeds I have recounted cannot be established. Secondly, in almost all the Hieronymian codices St. Nectarius is announced before St. Lidorius of Tours, who flourished in the fourth century, and before St. Maurilius of Angers, who died in the fifth. But it does not appear likely that Nectarius was commemorated before two saints far more ancient and far more famous, since this is against the custom of the Hieronymian Martyrology. Therefore from this order St. Nectarius seems to belong rather to the third or fourth century than to the sixth, in which lived that Nectarius who is known in the catalogue of the prelates of Autun. Indeed a place is not wanting for another Nectarius in the catalogue of the prelates of Autun in the third or fourth century, in which doubtless more sat than are known to us. Nor is there any reason why the modern writers looked to the Nectarius of the sixth century, save that they found no other of that name in the catalogue. But if there were none at all of that name in the catalogue, even so they would believe that some Nectarius presided as bishop over Autun, on the authority of the ancient Martyrology. Therefore by like reasoning, if the order of the Martyrology hints that he who is announced is not the Nectarius of the sixth century, it must be believed that he is another far more ancient. But if this reasoning please anyone less, let him follow his own judgment; and let him at least bear patiently my doubt, which arises from frequent consideration of the order of the ancient Martyrology.